Designed For God’s Glory

“Rise And Shine!”

Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’”

Isaiah 43:7 NLT

Isaiah 43:7 NLT

Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’ ”

“What is my purpose”?

That question looms in the hearts and minds of people all across the world. For some of us, we are certain that God has a noble purpose for us that is HUGE. We dream big dreams and are convinced that God’s only plan for us has to involve success. And it does! But not, perhaps, in the way we envision it.

For others, they are the opposite. They believe that God would never and could never use someone like them and that their life is to be hidden in obscurity. They should never ask God for anything nor expect anything, and if life is dealing them a crummy hand, its because they deserve it. And its true! We all deserve justice, but God gave us mercy.

And then everyone else is in the mix between the two. One day or one season in life, dreaming that God’s plan is for them to be a millionaire and the next believing they aren’t worth shooting.

I see Christians, “stuck” in life because they can’t determine “God’s Will”, “God’s Purpose” for their lives. The reason is because we are looking for His will and purpose to be about ‘activity’, about what we ‘do’.

But God’s design for all of our lives is clearly laid out in the Bible and it starts before time began. ITS ABOUT WHAT WE WERE CREATED “TO BE”

Let me introduce you to a character named Lucifer. Turn to Ezekiel 28. This text is controversial, and I realize that. Many commentators say it only applies to “The King of Tyre” while others believe it is actually addressed to the one who is behind the power of the King of Tyre, Satan himself. I believe the first section is directed at the King of Tyre but the second speaks of the one behind the power of the king; Lucifer himself. Using this text as a background I want to show you the design and purpose of humanity. Let’s start with Lucifer.

Before time began, Lucifer had been created and was given the job as the leader of the angelic host and leader of worship. His exterior was designed to magnify the glory of God.

HE WAS DESIGNED AND CREATED SPECIFICALLY TO REFLECT THE MANIFOLD GLORY OF GOD

All throughout scripture we read about the “light” that is associated with the glory of God. Lucifer’s exterior was covered with all kinds of precious stones. He was a living “disco ball” if you will. and so when the light of the glory of God would hit him, he would refract and reflect that light a million times over. He would radiate the manifold glory of God.

Ezekiel 28:12–15 (ESV)

Ezekiel 28:12–15 NLT

“Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone— red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald— all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. “You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you.

12 “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:

“You were the signet of perfection,

full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13  You were in Eden, the garden of God;

every precious stone was your covering,

sardius, topaz, and diamond,

beryl, onyx, and jasper,

sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle;

and crafted in gold were your settings

and your engravings.

On the day that you were created

they were prepared.

14  You were an anointed guardian cherub.

I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God;

in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.

15  You were blameless in your ways

from the day you were created,

till unrighteousness was found in you.

He existed, “in the Eden of God” referring to God’s dwelling place.

Lucifer would begin to shine and point the angels to magnify the Lord together with him. No doubt the angels in heaven would comment regarding the beauty of God reflected by Lucifer and Lucifer apparently began to think that God wouldn’t get all this attention if it wasn’t for him. He wrongly began to think that he was the source of all the glory rather than an instrument to reflect it.

I was sitting in the yard with mom the other day and she was looking up at the blue sky. White clouds dotted the sky above and were being pushed hurriedly by the wind. She was taken aback by the beauty. She commented about the sycamore tree, its white bark shining in the sun against the backdrop of the dark blue sky. She said, “that’s a pretty picture”. We saw the beauty, the wonder, the ‘reflected glory of God’ in the scene and acknowledged that God was the only author of such wonder and majesty.

Ezekiel 28:17 (ESV)

17  Your heart was proud because of your beauty;

you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.

I cast you to the ground;

I exposed you before kings,

to feast their eyes on you.

He forgot that he was created and thought he was better than God. So God cast him out of heaven and “threw him to the ground” of what we know as planet earth.

This may be why the 1st commandment is to have no other Gods before Jehovah.

This may be why Jesus said anything could be forgiven except stealing Gods glory and giving it to Satan.

It was a violent crash, as Satan was hurled with the infinite force of the power of God onto the surface of the earth.

When he did, imagine what happened to his external covering. It was shattered; obliterated into dust.

The thing that enabled satan to magnify the glory of the Lord was forever removed from his covering, and then God covered it with darkness and water. Perhaps thats why God told him in the garden of Eden he would ‘crawl on his belly and eat dust’. Eat the dust of your created purpose. Choke on what you refused.

THERE IS NO MORE HOPELESS ESTATE THAN TO ABANDON YOUR GOD DESIGNED PURPOSE.

Ezekiel 28:16 (ESV)

Ezekiel 28:16 NLT

Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire.

16  In the abundance of your trade

you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;

so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,

and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub,

from the midst of the stones of fire.

Ezekiel 28:17 (ESV)

Ezekiel 28:17 NLT

Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.

17  Your heart was proud because of your beauty;

you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.

I cast you to the ground;

I exposed you before kings,

to feast their eyes on you.

So what we know so far, is that Lucifer was specifically designed by God to magnify the glory of God and point others to worship God. He existed “in the Eden of God” until he was “cast to the ground” for his pride and rebellion.

Enter the divine plan of God for humanity

The bible says that mankind is created a little lower than the angels.

Why? To demonstrate to Satan that God would receive the glory due to Him from people who were created with less ability, less opportunity, less chance and less likelihood than Satan. People who were created from the “dust of what was”. People who were created with a free will and a choice, who would choose to glorify God because He is worthy. He would prove to Satan what “could have been” if Satan hadn’t rebelled.

Hebrews 2:6–8 (ESV)

Hebrews 2:6–8 NLT

For in one place the Scriptures say, “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him? Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority.

6 It has been testified somewhere,

“What is man, that you are mindful of him,

or the son of man, that you care for him?

7  You made him for a little while lower than the angels;

you have crowned him with glory and honor,

8  putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

Hebrews 2:14–18 (ESV)

Hebrews 2:14–18 NLT

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

(Just a side note here. Jesus Christ conquered death so we wouldn’t fear it. And yet the entire world today is afraid for others to die or to die themselves. Perhaps we have lost faith in what Jesus purchased with His resurrection)

How is Satans hold over us “the fear of death?”. Why do we look to hobbies for gratification instead of God? Because we think life is short and heaven “is a drag, at best” and “isn’t real, at least”. Why do we fall for satans traps of greed? Because we think life is short. Why do we fall for Satans traps of self-gratification, self-centeredness, and selfish pride? Because we think life is too short to miss out on ‘stuff’. Why do we fall for satans trap of wealth as though it is our ticket to “peace”? Because we think in finite, earthly terms. Not heavenly, eternal terms. So every trap of Satan, every snare, every illusion and delusion, is predicated on the idea that “life is too short to be deprived of xyz”.

But what happens if I believe I am eternal? Does “stuff matter?” Does “prestige” matter? Does “wealth matter”? Does personal fulfillment matter? If I truly believe that I am currently living an eternal life and that there are rewards coming, I want to lay up my treasure where I can receive those rewards. I’m in it for the long haul.

But how do we do it?

16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

WE ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Genesis 1:26–28 (ESV)

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27  So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

So God set out to demonstrate to Lucifer that He would take a “lesser being” and they would become the ones who would magnify the glory of God to others and point them to worship Him.

Ephesians 3:8–13 (ESV)

Ephesians 3:8–13 NLT

Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

THE “MYSTERY OF THE AGES” WAS GODS PLAN FOR THE CHURCH. WE ARE GODS DAILY DEMONSTRATION TO SATAN THAT WE WORSHIP HIM BECAUSE WE CHOOSE TO AND THAT WE DONT EVEN HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO RECEIVE HIS APPROVAL, BECAUSE JESUS GAVE US HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!

EVERY TIME YOU CHOOSE GOD OVER SATAN, EVERY TIME YOU CHOOSE TO LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE SO OTHERS SEE AND GLORIFY GOD, EVERY TIME YOU OVERCOME, GOD STANDS IN HONOR AND POINTS TO YOU AND SAYS, ‘HEY SATAN! HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT ——-?”

11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

So the scene is repeated.

When Satan was cast to the earth, it became a dark swamp, because everywhere Satan exists is darkness. The bible says God separated the land from the waters.

2 Peter 2:4 (ESV)

2 Peter 2:4 NLT

For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 1:13)

Everywhere God exists is Light

Acts 26:14–18 (ESV)

14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

GOD TOLD PAUL HIS PURPOSE WAS TO DELIVER GENTILES FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT.

Then on day 6, he took the dust of the ground, the dust that contained the thing that made Lucifer beautiful: his ability to reflect and magnify the glory of God: God took that “glory reflecting, glory magnifying dust” and made Adam.

Then He placed Adam in Eden, the garden of God on earth, and the story of our designed purpose begins.

THE STORY STARTED WITH SATAN IN EDEN, THE SECOND ACT BEGINS WITH ADAM IN EDEN. THE FIRST ACT BEGAN IN THE GARDEN OF GOD, THE SECOND ACT BEGINS IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

We were created and designed with the purpose of living in the presence of God, being God’s friend, and reflecting and magnifying His glory in our lives so others look to Him and worship Him. We were designed to glorify God and lead people to worship Him.

WE WERE DESIGNED TO RISE AND SHINE!

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, Luke 1:46-47

David says: Psalm 34:3 (ESV)

3  Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!

Romans 13:12 (ESV)

12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

God says when we surrender our will for His, THEN He will give us “our life”.

. Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken!’” Jeremiah 45:5

Jeremiah 45:5 NLT

Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken!’ ”

Man sinned, just as Satan had, but then God steps into the pages of human history in the form of Jesus Christ the Son and buys back, redeems, fallen man and demonstrates to Satan “what could have been”.

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. John 17:4

Jesus said, …. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. John 17:22

So You and I have been designed for the purpose of bringing glory to God, magnifying His glory, and pointing others to Him.

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

1 Peter 2:9 NLT

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

SO HOW DO WE MAGNIFY THE GLORY OF GOD?

OBEDIENCE

HUMILITY

THANKFULNESS

DEPENDANCE

SUBMISSION

That is the marvel of sanctification. At the threshold of every new experience, of every new phase of the truth of God, there is a margin of darkness where we have this glorious test — will I let the Son of God manifest Himself in my mortal flesh in this thing, and will i possess the light that God has given me? If so, we shall see just as Jesus Christ saw. —- Oswald Chambers

What Jesus Christ experienced in the flesh was the divine approval of God as He obeyed in every circumstance. “At the threshold of every new experience, of every new phase of the truth of God, there is a margin of darkness where we have this glorious test — will I let the Son of God manifest Himself in my mortal flesh in this thing, and will I possess the light that God has given me? If so, we shall see just as Jesus Christ saw.”

Stephen, at the threshold of death, being stoned by his enemies, forgives them and asks God to forgive them and he sees just as Jesus saw. No doubt when Jesus hung on the cross, God stood in approval of his obedience. Stephen saw Christ standing at Gods right hand. The worst event in human history was the greatest event in human history. And so is the mystery of God. When we choose to obey ‘in the darkness’ God opens up a marvelous light.

Relationship problems? I know its dark right now, but walk in the revelation of the last thing God told you. He will give you your life.

Struggling with temptation to sin? I know it seems you cant live without that thing, but trust God in this present darkness and he will give you your life. Jesus said I cam so you could have abundant life. Life to the fullest. Life as God, who loves you more than you can imagine, has designed for you to experience. Dont be cheated by satan. He’s just a sore loser and wants to drag others into his misery.